Meta Platforms Is Determined To Make Ethernet Work For Ai

Meta Platforms, the originator of the Open Compute Project, recently purchased an N-1 generation DGX SuperPOD system from Nvidia in order to advance its AI research. In order to compete against its hyperscaler and cloud builder rivals, Meta Platforms is now looking to Ethernet interconnects. To this end, Meta Platforms is one of the founding companies behind the Ultra Ethernet Consortium, a group of Ethernet ASIC suppliers and switch makers who are being compelled to make Ethernet as good as InfiniBand for AI and HPC networking. The consortium is united by a common enemy: InfiniBand.